Escaping The Past
by StarryMidnightRomance
Summary: When things start to fall apart in life people seek solace from the ones they love…but can it be guaranteed that happiness will follow once wrapped in that warm embrace.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys Universe. I'm just a poor college student who is trying to provide some much needed entertainment in life. **

**Author's Note: Though I have written many stories over the years, this is the first time I am sharing one…so please review and let me know how I'm doing! **

**Summary: When things start to fall apart in life people seek solace from the ones they love…but can it be guaranteed that happiness will follow once wrapped in that warm embrace.**

"Ladies and Gentleman, the captain has turn on the fasten seatbelt sign. At this time you need to return your trays and seats to their upright positions and stow all portable devices as we prepare for our descent. The current time is 1:47 PM and it appears to be a gorgeous 83 degrees. As this is the last stop for us today, we would like to thank you for flying Atlantic Air and remind you to think of us next time you are planning all your travel needs."

The 21 year old girl sitting near the front of the plane turned off her CD player with a sigh and turned to look out the window. Below she could see the city looming nearer and she closed her eyes briefly. _What am I doing here? What am I going to say?_ _I haven't talked to them in a year, not since…_

Blue eyes burst open as the plane landed roughly against the tarmac.

"Honey, I am so glad to have finally landed. I can't wait to see my granddaughter the minute I step off this plane." The girl smiled kindly at the older woman that was next to her. The woman had been going on the whole time about her new grandchild and the young girl had been more than happy to oblige the grandmother by listening to her excitement. It helped keep her mind off her own troubles.

"I'm sure that she is going to be beautiful and that you are going to spoil her rotten," the girl said with a laugh.

"Oh honey, you have no idea." The two stood up from their seats and the girl helped pull both of their belongings down from the overhead bin. "So, you never told me what you are doing here? Do you have friends in town?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen them in a while though, so I'm not sure how they are going to react to me being here."

"Well, sweetie, if they are really your friends they will be glad to see you. Especially if they are male friends, 'cause you are such a doll." The twinkle in the old woman's eyes made the girl duck her head as she tried to hide her blush.

"Thank you for that, but I don't think being a "doll" is going to help me much."

The old woman just smiled knowingly and gathered her bags into her arms. "Dear, it has been wonderful but I must get off this plane and go see my little girl. I wish you the best of luck with everything." With those last words the woman exited the plane with a small wave.

_Well, I guess it's time to go. I can't stay here forever. _ She picked up her purse, threw her duffel bag over her shoulder, and made her way down the aisle. As she approached the flight attendant at the exit she gave a slight nod and said "thank you."

"I hope you enjoy your time here in Bayport," the woman replied in kind.

The girl grinned nervously and took a deep breath. _No turning back now. _And with a new found strength, Nancy Drew started to make her way into the Bayport Airport terminal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews! You don't know how happy they have made me and I promise that all will be explained soon. Now on with the story.**

"What could be taking so long!"

"Hey Joe, why don't you scream that a little louder, cause I don't think the planes in the air heard you." 21 year old Frank Hardy laughed at his pacing younger brother.

The two boys along with Frank's girlfriend, Callie Shaw, were sitting in the Bayport Airport Terminal waiting for Joe's longtime girlfriend, Vanessa Bender, to arrive. Vanessa had been studying abroad for the past semester and after many long months away she was finally returning from London…that was if her plane ever landed.

"Why isn't she her yet?" Joe knew he was whining, but he didn't care. _His girlfriend had been gone for 5 months. That was five months of no hugs, no kisses, no…well, you get the idea. And now her homecoming was being postponed due to weather._

Callie Shaw looked up from the newspaper she was sharing with Frank. "Joe, why don't you go get a magazine or a soda or something? Your pacing is driving me crazy."

Joe shot her an evil look. "Why did you come along again?"

"Hey, she's my best friend! I've missed her as much as you have."

This time it was Frank who put down the paper. "Guys, do you think you could get along for five minutes. Your constant bickering is really starting to get annoying."

"Sure big brother, anything for you." Callie stuck her tongue out at Joe's look of superiority.

Frank caught both movements and just rolled his eyes. _You would think after this many years of knowing each other they could stand the other's company. Oh well, life can only be so perfect. _

"Ladies and Gentleman, Flight 569-Dulles to Bayport is now arriving at gate 5B. I repeat Flight 569-Dulles to Bayport is arriving at gate 5B."

"It's about time!" Joe looked like he had been told that Christmas was coming early. "If only she hadn't had to fly into D.C. Van would have been in my arms hours ago."

"Yeah, it's a shame that the Bayport airline officials didn't like your suggestion of accepting an international flight for the day," Callie proclaimed sarcastically.

"You know what Callie, why don't you shut the he-"

Frank jumped up and placed himself between the two. _So much for trying to be friendly to each other. _"Guys, why don't the two of you head over to the gate and see who can spot her first." Both raced off toward the gate. _Hopefully having Vanessa back will restore order to the group. It was definitely a long semester for me. _

The four were students at New York University. Callie and Frank had just finished their junior year, while Vanessa and Joe had completed their sophomore year. And while the four had known each other since high school, it seemed like things were becoming strained as of late.

Frank knew that he should go break up his girlfriend and brother, who were now pushing there way to the front of the waiting crowd, along with a few well placed shoves toward each other, but he was distracted by a scene a few gates away. An elderly woman had let out an excited cry as she rushed toward a younger couple with a baby in their arms. He could see the joy that was reflected on the family's face and it brought a small smile to his lips. This was how today was supposed to be. Fun and happy, not filled with the bitterness that his counterparts had.

He continued to stare at the family and was startled when he saw a familiar head of reddish-blonde hair join the group. Though he couldn't see the girl's face there was something about her that captivated his attention. He watched the girl lean over and tickle the child and then speak to the adults for a moment.

_Turn around! _He didn't know why this was bothering him so much, but he had a feeling and he had learned long ago not to ignore them.

Finally, the girl waved goodbye and stooped to pick up the bag that was sitting at her feet. In that few seconds Frank was able to catch a glimpse of the blue eyes that often filled his dreams. _It couldn't be, could it? What was she doing in Bayport?_

"Frank Hardy! It's good to see you too."

The older Hardy was startled from his thoughts by a voice behind him. Spinning around quickly he saw Vanessa standing there with an amused smile on her face. The other two were standing behind her with big grins.

"Hey Vanessa." He pulled her into a big hug and whispered loudly in her ear. "You have no idea how much I've missed you." He gave a significant glance at the others as he pulled away.

Vanessa laughed. "I think I have an idea based on the way I was attacked as I exited the gate. Though, I was missing a group member at the time. What, pray tell, was more captivating then waiting on pins and needles for me?" Her mischievous grin was infectious.

"Oh, um, I just thought I saw somebody I knew," he said vaguely. Joe looked at him curiously, but Frank just shook his head. _Later._

"Well, I don't know about you boys, but I'm sure Vanessa is exhausted and I still have lots to finish up if everything is going to ready for the party tomorrow." Callie stated suddenly.

Vanessa looked over at her friend with interest. "What party?"

"My "school is out-summer is here" party. The whole gang has been getting back home this past week, so I figured a party was a good enough reason to get everyone together."

"Sounds fun." Vanessa put her arm around Joe's waist and leaned into him slightly as she yawned. "How about we go grab my luggage and you guys take me home. I am pretty tired."

"But you just got here and I haven't seen you in such a long time," Joe pouted.

"I know babe. Tell you what. I bet I can find it in my heart to invite you to come nap with me if you carry my bags."

"Heck, what are we standing around for? Let's go." Vanessa smirked at the other couple as her boyfriend dragged her to the baggage claim.

"Frank, you coming?" Callie was staring at her own boyfriend quizzically. He was staring off in the distance with an odd expression on his face.

"What? Oh, yeah." And as Callie grabbed his hand to follow the others, Frank tried to digest what he had seen. He had a strange feeling that he would be seeing Nancy Drew again very soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for all the kind words that have been sent my way. I promise to update faster from now on. **

Nancy pulled up in front of the two-story, red brick house shortly after 3 pm. While it had taken no time to get her luggage and pick up her rental car, it had taken plenty of time to convince herself to turn on to the street of the Hardy residence.

She silently reached over to turn the silver pathfinder off, but other than that her position didn't change. Blue eyes swept the perfect lawn and the longing to be in the house nearly overwhelmed her.

_This is where I'm suppose to be,_ she thought. _This is where I'll be safe._

Before she knew it, Nancy was making her way up the front path and was standing on the porch. Instead of continuing forward toward the door, she moved right. There in the far corner was the porch swing, lazily moving along with the breeze.

A soft creak disturbed the peaceful neighborhood as she slid into the seat and her hand lovingly caressed the wood armrest. This swing was her comfort zone. She had many memories of all that had been done on the swing. Laughter and tears. Stories and relaxation. This bench was a plethora of knowledge and secrets.

In fact it was the last conversation she held on this swing that was her reason for returning to Bayport, New York.

**FLASHBACK to one year ago…**

"You know you are more than welcome to stay longer?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hardy, I know. I've been here long enough though. Besides, I should really be getting hom—um back to River Heights to finish the final arrangements before I head back to school." Nancy pulled the older woman close to her and relished the few moments of being in the arms of a loving mother. While Laura Hardy might not be related to her in any way, it didn't change the fact that this woman had helped her a lot in life.

Laura withdrew slightly to catch Nancy's gaze with a stern look. "Young lady, you were barely here for 3 days, and I don't want you to ever feel as if you are a burden on this family. It doesn't matter how old you get, you are now mine and Fenton's responsibility, therefore you are always welcome."

"That's right," Fenton proclaimed as brought Nancy in for a hug. "You call us day or night, and we'll be down in Illinois in a heartbeat."

"Thank you, both of you. I will be forever thankful for all you did this summer. Dad's death was a lot to deal with, and it helped that you took over the investigation" Nancy nodded in Fenton's direction, "and you helped with the arrangements," she smiled at Laura.

"I thought we told you to stop apologizing."

"It's a habit…sorry." The smirk was enough to bring a chuckle out of the couple.

"Well, I guess you better go. The boys should have the car packed by now. Gertrude also made you a bag of food, that way you don't need to stop." Laura hugged her one more time. "Call us when you get in tonight?"

"I promise."

As she stepped on to the porch a small smile played on her lips as she saw Frank and Joe swinging lazily. Without a word she crossed the few feet and plopped down between them. The three stared out at the neighborhood, enjoying just a few moments of rest. Eventually Joe broke the silence.

"So spill, Drew, why you heading out of here already?"

A deep sigh escaped before she answered. "There's still so much to clean up, you know. Things that need to get shipped to my apartment at school or put in storage. Plus there's still a ton of legal crap that needs to be discussed…insurance for the house, selling the car, closing down the practice, etc., etc."

"You know that other people could take care of that for you. You don't have to do everything yourself."

"I need to be the one to do this…if nothing else, for the closure."

Joe nodded and glanced over at his unusually quiet brother. Frank seemed to be in a whole other world. The three swung for a few more minutes before Nancy spoke up.

"I guess I better get on the road if I want to make it home before it gets dark. Thanks for everything, guys. I'll try to give you guys a call or two during the year once I get settled better." She stood up and Joe followed.

Wrapping her in a big bear hug, Joe repeated his father's words to stay safe and call if she needed anything. He gave her a peck on the cheek and headed into the house to give his brother a minute for his goodbyes.

Nancy stared at Frank expectantly, but he refused to meet her gaze. "Soooo, I'm gonna go." Nothing. "Good luck this next year." Zilch. "Bye."

She turned and began to make her way across the porch, before she was stopped by Frank grabbing her hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"What?" She tilted her head to the side and tried to catch his eye. This time he lifted his head and his brown eyes burned into her as he spoke with a clear confident voice.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that your dad died. I'm sorry that you have to go through all this. And I'm sorry that I haven't said it sooner."

Nancy faltered for a minute, before she sat back down on the swing. She blinked a couple times to keep the tears at bay, and swallowed hard. She wasn't going to break down. She had been so good. She had only fallen apart twice in the past month, and it wasn't going to happen again.

When she felt that she had her emotions under control, she turned to look at him. "Why are you telling me this now?"

Frank looked down guiltily before answering. "I never said it. This whole time I've been so caught up in trying to be strong for you I realized I never told you. Some friend I am."

"Hey, don't get like that. You have been amazing this summer and I don't know if I would have stayed together as well as I did if you hadn't been around. You are one of my best friends and you don't need to apologize." She gently squeezed his hand. "Besides," she spoke softer, "I knew that's how you felt, you didn't ever need to voice it. It was actually somewhat comforting to have at least one person not apologizing to me every minute. It's not like it's your fault he died." Her words grew so soft, Frank was almost sure he didn't catch the next part. Almost.

"It's my fault."

Frank drew in a quick breath, before putting an arm around her and drawing her against him in the swing. "I don't ever want to hear you say that again. It's not your fault that he's dead. It's that psycho, Walker's, and that's it."

"But, if it hadn't been for me-"

"NO. It is not your fault, you hear me?"

She nodded and laid her head down on his shoulder. Her feet had come up onto the chair, and she was now cuddled against him, as he gently swung them. His fingers played in her hair as the two stared ahead.

"So, you want to tell me the real reason you're leaving so early?"

"Can't fool you can I, Hardy?"

"What can I say…I'm a great detective." Frank smiled as she rolled her eyes. He waited for a minute, but she still kept quiet. "Man, Drew, don't speak so fast. I'm having a hard time keeping up."

She snorted, but finally opened her mouth at his questioning look. "No offense to your family in anyway, because you guys have been wonderful, but." She sighed again. "I just need to get away from the happy, perfect family."

"What?" He was confused.

"Frank, you got to understand. I'm an orphan now. I mean, I know I'm a legal adult and all that crap, but I have no family anymore. It was just me & dad almost my whole life and now it's only me. There's no one left. And being with you guys kind of is a nasty reminder of that truth."

"You know that you have always been a part of this family and that you can come to any of us with anything. Heck, mom and dad are more than willing to take you in."

"I know and I'm grateful for that, don't get me wrong. I just need to get away from it for now. I need to get back to River Heights and get everything in order, so I can begin to get on with my life. I need to learn how to deal with things on my own."

"That's some crazy B.S., Nan, but I think I understand."

"I knew you would."

"You will keep in touch, right. I mean, you aren't going to drop off the face of the earth or anything."

"Nope, no plans of leaving the earth, and yeah, I will stay in touch. Just give me some time okay."

"Sounds good. I'll be waiting." He smoothed back her hair to kiss her forehead and the sudden jolt of electricity took the pair by surprise. Nancy leaned up slightly to look Frank in the eye and the two were startled to see the same emotions reflecting in the other.

"I thought you left!" Both broke away quickly to see Joe peeking out the door.

"Soon. Who knows how long it will be before I come back this way."

Joe shook his head in amusement and went to join the two again. The three spent another hour on the swing, each reflecting on what the future could bring.

**End FLASHBACK**

"Nancy, honey, is that you?"

Nancy jumped up in shock to see Mrs. Hardy and the boys' Aunt Gertrude standing in the driveway, pulling groceries out of the car. She had been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't even heard them pull up.

"Yes ma'am, it's me. Umm, I'm sorry I didn't call. I packed up after my last final and before I knew it I was on a plane to Bayport." Nancy suddenly realized how stupid it was to show up here. _I'm such an idiot. Just showing up on their doorstep without any warning. Who knows if they have other plans. _

Laura Hardy could see the internal battle that Nancy was having as she crossed the lawn. "Oh honey, will you stop. It's so wonderful to see you and you are going to stay here as long as you need." The two embraced.

"Here let me help you grab a couple of those bags." Nancy said walking over to the car. As she reached for a bag, Gertrude slapped her hand away.

"Child, you are a guest. You get right up in that house and make yourself comfortable. I'll cook you up something as soon as I unload these. You are a stick." Gertrude's gruff manner was underlined with happiness.

Nancy leaned over and gave the older woman a peck on the cheek. "I've missed you too."

Turning with a grin, she headed into the house.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Wow, would you look at that…updating in less than a day. Again, thank you to everyone who is reading this. I know things might be confusing right now and it's moving a little slow, but I promise things are picking up and all will be explained very soon.**

"God, I'm so glad you're home. You are never allowed to leave me again."

Vanessa barked out a laugh at her boyfriend's whiny words. "Now you know how I've felt for the past few years. You got a dose of your own medicine."

Frank and Callie both chimed in with laughter from the back seat as Joe continued pouting. "Well, we should have a new rule. We can't be away from each other for more than 3 days."

"Oh. I like that rule. We should implement it too," Frank said squeezing Callie's hand.

Vanessa turned her head to look at her best friend. "How long to you think they will follow that?"

"Until the next case comes along." The girls dissolved in a fit of giggles.

"Ha ha ha. We're dating a pair of comedians, big bro." Joe exchanged an exasperated glance with Frank through the rearview mirror, before turning his eyes back to the road.

It was nearing 7pm and the four were headed back to the Hardy house for dinner. While Joe and Vanessa had spent the afternoon "napping", Frank had been forced to help Callie decorate the backyard for tomorrow's barbeque. He had the distinct feeling he had drawn the short straw out of the group.

As Joe turned into the neighborhood, he noticed a vehicle parked in front of the house. "Hey, who's here?"

Everyone looked out the window at the strange Pathfinder as Joe slowed to pull into the driveway.

"According to the tags, it's from one of the rental agency's at the airport." Vanessa turned to Joe with an evil grin. "Was your other girlfriend coming home today too?"

"Rats, you caught me. I knew I should have had her meet me at the motel."

Callie burst into laughter as she watched the couple. Vanessa was trying to slug Joe, and it seemed he was trying to deter her with kisses. He was winning. She turned to her own boyfriend ready to make a cheeky comment as well, however she was confused to see him standing shock still, pale as a sheet.

Frank's mind was racing. _Is she really here? Did I really not imagine seeing her earlier today?_ He had spent the past few hours convincing himself that the girl at the airport had just been someone with a strong resemblance to his friend. But now, he wasn't so sure.

Joe pulled away from Vanessa when he noticed his brother's appearance as well. "Frank, man, do you know who's here?"

"What! Umm, no. I have no clue." The three exchange puzzled glances. "Well, what are we standing around out here for? Let's head inside. Mom and dad are probably waiting on us." He quickly moved up the front steps, to unlock the door.

The rest followed, each trying to figure out why the eldest Hardy was acting strange.

"Mom, we're home and we're starving!" Joe called out as they entered the house.

Fenton Hardy looked up from his spot on the couch. Folding up his newspaper and setting it to the side, he walked over to the group, and after nodding a greeting to the girls, he glared at his youngest son. "Joseph, how many times do we have to tell you not to yell? For a 20 year old you sure know how to act like you're 3."

"What can I say, dad. I'm in touch with my inner child."

"Honey, you couldn't possibly have missed him, right?" Fenton asked Vanessa as he welcomed her back to the states.

"No, sir. I missed Mrs. Hardy and Gertrude's cooking."

"Good answer," Laura exclaimed as she came into the living room. "Look at you, Vanessa. You look wonderful. England must have treated you well."

Gertrude poked her head out of the kitchen to wave hello, before going back to her cooking. However her yelling was still heard. "Too skinny. What is with all these girls coming back so tiny? I'm going to have my work cut out for me this summer."

Callie and Vanessa exchanged small smiles with each other.

"Oh, don't listen to her. She seems to be telling everyone that today." Laura said with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, that reminds me, mom. Who's here? There's a rental outside."

"That would be a surprise for all of us. When we got back from the store this afternoon, she was waiting on the porch. Let me run up and get her real quick. Last I knew she was napping."

"Don't bother Mrs. Hardy. I'm right here. Hi guys."

The small group turned around to see Nancy making her way down the stairs. Both girls held looks of confusion, while the boys looked shocked. The all stood around awkwardly staring at each other before Joe broke forward with a smile. Nancy's laughter disrupted the quiet as Joe spun her around in his arms.

"It's about time you show your face again. We've missed you Drew."

"JOE! Put me down." Any anger that might have been in her voice was lost among the giggling.

"Sorry." As he lowered her back to the ground, he noticed the girls shifting there feet, not exactly sure what was going on. He quickly turned to Nancy. "Nan, I'd like you to meet the lovely Vanessa Bender and Callie Shaw. Ladies, the amazing Nancy Drew."

Nancy rolled her eyes at Joe's enigmatic introduction, and stepped forward to shake the hands of the girls. "Hi, it's nice to finally meet you both. I've been hearing about you guys for so long, I'm surprised we haven't had the chance to meet up before this."

"Yeah, same here." Vanessa smiled at the girl before her. Nancy was right, they had been hearing about the other for years, and Vanessa was glad to finally have a face to put with the name. Vanessa felt that she was usually good at reading people, and Nancy had this air about her that gave Vanessa the impression they could be become fast friends.

Callie, on the other hand, was unsure what to think of the intruder. She was finally getting to meet the girl that her boyfriend always ran off with, and it disappointed her to see that she was very attractive. However, she plastered a smile on to her face and shook hands hello.

As the introductions concluded, everyone turned to see Frank's reaction. However, he hadn't seemed to move. His eyes were burning with anger as he looked anywhere but at Nancy.

"Hi Frank. It's good to see you." Nancy stated quietly as she moved to give him a hug. He quickly turned and stalked into the dining room.

"Let's eat. I'm starving." He yelled over his shoulder.

Everyone's eyes grew wide, and Joe watched Nancy's face flash a look of pain, before she grew unreadable.

"FRANK!"

"It's okay, Mr. Hardy. He's right, I'm hungry, too. It's been a long time since lunch. I'm just going to wash up real quick." She sprinted back up the stairs.

Laura and Fenton shared a look, while Joe seemed to find the floor interesting. One by one, they all began to make their way to the table; each wondering what was going on.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Well, it seems that I am popping out chapters like nobody's business. Haha. I figured I needed to get this chapter out fast, before anyone else got upset with me about Frank's behavior toward Nancy. Next chapter I'll start to fill you in better on why Nancy's in Bayport. As always, thank you and happy reading.**

Dinner was an uncomfortable affair. Frank's outburst had taken everyone by surprise, but nobody seemed to want to call him on it. Vanessa tried to fill the silence by talking about Europe, but soon stopped when she realized it was making things worse.

The three adults kept exchanging glances, and by the time dessert was completed, they knew that they need to get out of the house before the explosion occurred.

"Boys, will you take care of clean up tonight? Your aunt, dad, and I are going to go catch a late movie."

"Yeah, mom, don't worry about it. We'll take care of it all. You guys go have fun." Joe glanced at his brother to see if he was going to add anything, but his eyes remained on his plate, where they had been all night.

"Okay, well, we are going to go ahead and go then. You kids have fun tonight." The three stood up and practically ran out of the house.

The five stayed in there seats, each one waiting for someone else to make a move. Joe could hear the grandfather clock in the living room ticking, and he mentally made a bet with himself on who would snap first. It only took a few more moments before his thoughts were confirmed.

_CLANK!_

Frank slammed his fork down on the table, and pushed himself out of his seat. "Excuse Me!" he yelled as he stomped up the stairs.

Joe knew that he should follow his brother, but he didn't want to leave Nancy feeling any worse than she already was. A subject change was in order. "You know, Nancy, Callie is having this party at her house tomorrow…food, swimming, dancing…basically a chance to unwind after this past school year. You should come?"

"Yeah," Vanessa spoke up, excitedly. "A lot of our friends will be there so you can meet them. Plus, it gives Callie & me a chance to get to know you better. Right, Cal?"

Callie choked on the water she had been drinking. Once her coughing was under control, she spoke up slowly. "Yeah, come on over."

Nancy seemed just as surprised by the whole conversation as Callie. "Um, thank you. I might take you up on that," she said just as carefully. As she looked back down at her plate she missed the glare that Callie shot at the couple across from her.

"Well, that's settled then." Vanessa quickly stood up, before things could get silent again. She began picking up the plates around her. "So, Nancy, what are your plans for the rest of the evening?"

"I was actually thinking about going for a run. Everything feels so stiff after the plane ride this morning."

"I know exactly how you feel. Why don't you go ahead and go do that now before it gets too dark. The three of us can handle clean up."

"Oh, no, I don't mind helping you guys first."

"It's not a problem, Nan. Go ahead and go. We got things under control here," Joe chimed in. He had realized what his girlfriend was doing. She was giving Nancy an escape before the other three went to confront Frank. _Smart girl, because it is not going to be a pretty sight when I get a hold of him. _

"O-kay. Thanks." She handed the plates in her hand to Joe, and made her way to the stairs.

Once Nancy was out of sight, Vanessa set down the plates she was holding and turned on her boyfriend. "What is going on!" She demanded.

"How should I know?"

"He's YOUR brother," Callie spoke up. "What's she doing here anyway?"

"Hey, don't be getting all mad at me. Her turning up here was just as much a surprise to me as it was to you. I haven't spoken to her in months. Besides, Frank is YOUR boyfriend. Don't tell me that he didn't share all this with you."

"Like hell he would. I try not to mention Nancy Drew whenever we talk. Just saying her name opens up a whole lot of crap that I don't want to deal with."

"Well, I like her." Vanessa intervened. She knew that the conversation was getting ready to sail into uncharted territory, and she felt for the safety of everyone around, it should not happen right now. "And obviously, something has happened that we are unaware of. I suggest we finish cleaning and as soon as she leaves we'll talk to Frank. Do either of you have a problem with that?" Joe and Callie were still glaring at each other, but neither said a word. "Good. Let's get these dishes washed." She picked up her stack again, and headed to the kitchen.

**Meanwhile...**

Upstairs, Nancy stood in front of the vanity in her room, trying to fix the ponytail her hair had been in all day. _Coming here was a mistake, but where else am I supposed to go. Things have gotten too out of control for me to handle on my own. I need their help if I want to end everything._

Sighing in frustration she made her way across the room and yanked open the guest room door. At that same moment, the room across from her opened as well, and she was staring right at Frank.

The face off seemed to go on for hours, before Frank finally broke eye contact. He stepped into the hallway and began making his way toward the stairs.

"You know, Hardy, if you have a problem with me, why don't we just clear it all up right now?" She called after him.

As he spun around, he could see the fire in her eyes and he knew that he should just walk away before he made things worse, but his own bubbling anger wasn't going to listen to reason.

"Because, I don't know what I did to make you mad at me, but I definitely am not going to put up with it anymore." She marched right up to him until they both were standing at the opening above the stairs.

"You're yelling at me! Seriously! What the hell do you expect from me right now! I haven't talked to you in 10 months. 10 MONTHS! And all of a sudden you just show up like everything is fine and dandy."

"I've been busy this year! There was a lot that I had to deal with."

"And that's your excuse for pushing everyone out of your life! Well, congratulations, you've done it. You've successful alienated everyone."

"You don't know what you are talking about!"

"I don't. Hmm, let's go over all the evidence, shall we. You aren't talking to me; mom & dad get a letter once a month that says "I'm fine. School is good," but that's it; and Bess and George, your best friends, are at Wilder with you and they can't even claim to have spent more than a couple hours with you this past year!"

"I'm concentrating on my schoolwork!"

"More excuses. You know, Bess says you've been pretty active in the dating realm recently. Did Michael finally get tired of dealing with all this shit too? Is that how you now unwind after a long day of school and ignoring your friends…a quick roll in the hay with some stranger, that way you don't have to deal with opening up to the people who love you!"

_SMACK!_

The sound of her hand across his cheek seemed to reverberate through the entire house.

"You have no right to be passing judgment on me. NO RIGHT!"

Frank stared at her in shock for a minute. He needed to end this conversation. Taking a deep breath, he asked in an even tone, "Why are you here, Nancy?"

"I'm here because I need help. I have an issue that I can't deal with on my own anymore, and I need help."

"So you have a problem, and you come running back." He was losing his temper again. "The great detective Drew can't handle things on her own anymore and she's crying for help. She thinks that we can just drop everything to fix her little issue. Well, let me ask you something…why MY family? Don't you have anyone else?"

The words were flying out of his mouth before he could stop them and Frank would have done anything in that moment to take them back. He knew that he had hurt her when he implied she was a whore, but the look of pain that flashed across her face now was so much worse.

She blinked back tears as she looked into his eyes. Her voice was calm and quiet when she spoke. "No. As you so nicely pointed out, I don't have anyone else."

"Nan," he whispered trying to grab her hand, but she shoved him aside and sprinted down the stairs. The front door's soft click close made Frank flinch as if she had slammed it.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Frank looked down the stairs and saw Joe, Vanessa, and Callie standing at the bottom. From the looks on there faces, Frank knew they had heard the majority of the argument. Both girls seemed to be in shock, but it was Joe who scared Frank. His face was red with anger and his hands were balled at his side.

"Joe," Frank said feebly, but then stopped. He didn't have any idea what to say.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" Joe turned to grab his jacket off the hook by the door.

"Where are you going?" Vanessa asked quietly.

"I'm going to find her. Frank will take you guys home."

The door slammed shut behind him, and silence fell upon the Hardy house.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. Things have been hectic as I try to pack up and get back down to school, but I promise I'll get the next chapter up in the next day or so to make up for all the lost time. Now this chapter might not be up to my usual par, but I don't know what to say about that. It gave me a lot of trouble and it doesn't matter what I try I can't seem to find the right formula for it, so I hope that you like it. Happy reading.**

Joe had been driving for almost 45 minutes and he still had not found Nancy anywhere. _She must have started running the moment she left the house, and who knows which direction she ran off in. _

As he pulled to a stop at a red light, he slammed his hands against the wheel in frustration. _Damn it Frank. _His brother was supposed to be the responsible one, the understanding one, heck, the calm one. That argument had not brought out any of those qualities.

He was just getting ready to turn left and try a different route when he was distracted by movement outside his window. _Bingo._ There, not even 15 yards away, he could see her bright yellow workout top glowing in the night. He pulled up next to the curb and stared at her for a minute, before stepping out of his jeep.

Nancy's head snapped up when she heard a car door slam, but her body began to relax as she recognized the man making his way across the park.

Joe approached the playground of Bayport Elementary School, and stopped just beneath Nancy. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket, he watched her in amusement before piping up.

"You got room up there for me?"

He waited until she nodded before he climbed up onto the playground. Raising his eyebrows suggestively, he took a running leap and launched himself on to the top of the tunnel. Joe was pleased to see that he got a small smile out of her as he mimicked her position of straddling the orange plastic.

"You sure picked a great place to run to. Although, I must say I am impressed that you made it way out here, and in the time that you did. We're almost seven miles from the house." He paused, hoping that she would jump into the conversation, but he struck out. "Did you know that this was my favorite part of the playground when I came to school here? Though I got to admit, this thing is a whole lot more enjoyable if you are inside." She rolled her eyes this time, but still wasn't speaking up. "Oh yes, the Hardy charm worked from a young age, or at least for me anyway. My nerdy brother, on the other hand, always brought his book out during recess and would sit under the tree over there, reading. Such an embarrassment. Needless to say I didn't start admitting that we were related until he got much cooler."

Nancy glanced at the tree Joe pointed out with a wistful look. She could picture everything Joe was saying and she had no doubt in her mind that it was true. That sounded just like each of the brothers' personalities.

Joe noticed her slipping away into his memories and he took the time to really look at her. While she seemed well put together and sat there with confidence, her eyes gave her away. Clouded over with pain, he noticed that they were tinged red and slightly puffy. _Damn his brother for making her cry. _Nancy was the strongest woman he knew, other than his mother and aunt, and it took a lot to bring her down. In fact, he could only think of one time that he had ever seen her cry...when her dad died.

As she shook herself out of her daydreaming Joe noticed for the first time that she was shivering slightly. He shrugged out of his jacket and handed it over to her. She looked at it but didn't make any move to take it.

"Oh don't be getting all stubborn on me now. As great as you think you look in your workout stuff it does nothing for you if your skin is the same color as your eyes."

That got a laugh out of her. She took the jacket with a smile and pulled it on. Her eyes were twinkling mischievously when she spoke. "Is this some of the Hardy charm that you were talking about, because I must say it's going to take a lot more than giving me your jacket to get me inside this baby." She patted the side of the tunnel affectionately.

"Ouch. A guy tries to do a nice thing and he gets made fun of. Give me back my jacket," he teased.

"Nope, you're out of luck. And for your information, I don't think I look great. I KNOW I look great."

"Touché."

As their laughter died off, a comfortable silence fell over the pair. Nancy peeked up at the sky and was disappointed to see the stars hidden behind the dark clouds.

"So, you want to share with me why you took off. If I remember correctly, Nancy Drew doesn't run from a fight?"

"Damn Joe. Is this how you get all the girls, cause I gotta say your style is really off putting?"

"I'll have you know that Vanessa finds my brutal honest endearing, and don't try and change the subject."

She wanted to ignore him, she really did, but her need to talk to someone overruled any other feelings.

Pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear, she locked eyes with the younger man. "I'm gathering you heard me and Frank."

"Oh, no, I didn't hear-" Nancy looked at him incredulously. "Yup, heard it all."

"So what part do you want an answer to?"

"Why don't you just start with what ever makes you most comfortable."

"Okay, it's simple. He's back."

"I'm not really following. Who's back?"

"Walker."

Joe was puzzled. "Nancy, Walker's dead. We were there. We saw it happen."

"I know. That's what makes everything so confusing. But, god Joe, it has to be him. Everything is the exact same as last time."

"What the hell do you mean everything is the same as last time? What's been going on this past year? Is someone messing with you again? Why didn't you come to us sooner?"

Joe was starting to work himself into a frenzy, and Nancy knew that she need to calm him down. She started explaining as fast as she could.

"It started at the end of August. Flowers, balloons, stuffed animals. I was getting things about every other day from "a big fan." It was innocent enough. The gifts would be waiting for me on the front porch, no big deal. By the third week or so, things started to change. The gifts were showing up in my house or car, and they were accompanied with personal information. Figuring it was a stalker, I talked to the police. There wasn't much they could do, and anyway, once I got them involved things stopped."

"But Nancy, Walker never did anything like that."

"I know, but everything after that has his mark. You see, things died down for a few weeks and everything seemed to be back to normal. But then, before I knew it things were happening. It was little stuff at first. Slashed tires, broken windows…little damage, but nothing serious. After each accident I would get a picture of the person that it had happened to. It's like I was being taunted. Anyway no one had been hurt yet. Not until Christmas break that is."

"Didn't you spend Christmas with Michael's family?"

"Yeah, and one evening Michael's little sister, Lexi, asked if she could borrow Michael's explorer to go pick up some groceries. The roads were bad and she didn't think her little car could handle all the snow. Michael gave into her, no problem. We got a call a few hours later. She had been run off the road and was at the hospital in a coma." Nancy took a moment to catch her breath.

"Nancy, you know her accident wasn't your fault."

"But, you see, it was my fault. It was happening all over again. The people I cared about were getting hurt one by one, yet this time I wasn't going to let anyone else die. I had already been alienating people all semester, so 2nd semester I just kicked it up a notch. It was best if I just cut off everyone altogether, that way no one would be in jeopardy."

"That still doesn't explain why you didn't come to me or Frank or dad. We would have helped you."

"You don't get it Joe. If I had come to you, this nut job would have turned on you guys. I wasn't going to be responsible for anything happening to your family."

"So why come to us now? After all this time." Joe was frustrated and he was sure that his tone portrayed that, but at the same time he realized that he couldn't afford to blow up like his brother had.

"Because I'm sick of living my life like this. I want my friends back. I want my life back!"

**X X X X X X X**

Frank didn't know how long he had been sitting out on the porch, and he didn't really care. He had grown numb from the cold hours earlier, so he figured anymore time out there wasn't going to do much.

He knew he had crossed the line. That much he was aware of. The guilt he felt from Joe's yelling, the girls' silent treatment, and his parent's lecture, also seemed to drive that point home.

_God, did I screw up. _He didn't know what had come over him. But seeing her again had brought up so many emotions and the only one that hadn't scared him was anger. So he had lashed out.

_I need to talk to her…apologize for being an ass._

He noticed a pair of headlights coming up the street and he glanced at his watch. 12:47am. _Where the hell have they been?_

As soon as the Jeep was parked in the driveway, Nancy climbed out with a smile on her face. Frank couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy toward his brother. _I'm the one who is suppose to take care of her, not Joe!_

The two started walking up the path and Nancy was the first to see Frank. He had stood up and was shifting awkwardly about on the steps. Joe felt Nancy tense up beside him and he followed her gaze.

_Oh no, not again. _Joe thought. _The last thing we need is to disturb the neighborhood this time._

However, his concerns were not needed. Nancy turned and gave Joe a quick hug and whispered "thank you" and marched into the house, head held high. Frank wasn't even given a passing glance.

Joe watched his older brother sink back down onto the stairs, a defeated look on his face. Joe knew that he should be angry with his brother, but at the same time he could tell Frank was hurting. He walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Just give her some time okay. She'll come around soon." He patted his brother on the back and began to make his way in the house, but he paused right inside the doorway and turned back to his brother. "She needs our help Frank. And regardless of whatever emotion you're feeling, you need to cast it aside and help. You owe her that much. Good night."

Frank heard the soft click of the door and heaved a giant sigh. Placing his head in his hands, he rubbed his eyes tiredly as he thought of his next course of action. _Morning. I'll talk to her first thing in the morning._

The leaves rustled as a light breeze flowed through the town, and yet nothing was disturbed as Bayport slept on. There were only the few lone souls who lay awake and prayed that the wind would sweep all their troubles away too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Yes, I know, I lied about updating, unfortunately real life got in the way. As always thank you, thank you, for all the reviews and hope you enjoy the this next chapter.**

"Guys, go home. I'm sick of having babysitters. Besides you've already given up a month of your summer for nothing."

"Not for nothing, Nan. And anyway you get no say in when we leave. Your dad is our boss." Joe laughed with amusement.

"Hmp!" Nancy crossed her arms over her chest in disgust.

Frank looked at her throwing her tantrum and an image of her at a younger age pulling the same stunt came to his mind. Nancy Drew had definitely been feisty all her life.

"Why couldn't I drive? I feel like a prisoner stuck here in the back seat? This is so unfair."

"Do you always feel the need to whine so much?"

"I figure if I annoy you enough you will eventually give in to my wishes."

Both boys laughed, though, secretly, each knew that she was right.

"Nancy, the day that you don't get your way will be the day that—" Frank trailed off as Joe turned into Nancy's neighborhood.

Near the end of the street chaos reined. At least 10 emergency vehicles-police, fire, & ambulance-were covering the street and a small crowd of people were forming behind them. Their interest was the gorgeous two story house that use to stand proudly. Now it was darkened by flames and smoke.

"Oh my god." Joe whispered, though the words echoed throughout the car. He began to slow the vehicle down half a block a way from the Drew's house.

A strangled cry came from behind the brothers.

"DAD!"

Frank barely had time to catch a glimpse of Nancy's face before she tore out of the car. He himself was out the door chasing after her before Joe had even finished parking. He caught up to her just as she reached Chief McGinnis, demanding to know what happened.

The chief shared a look with Frank before he turned and spoke to the young woman in front of him. "Nancy, I don't know what to tell you. A neighbor is the one who called in the incident. They said they heard a small explosion and next thing they knew the house was on fire."

"Chief, I don't care about that right now. Where's my dad? I didn't see him in any of the ambulances. Did they already take him to the hospital? Is he alright?"

"Nancy…" Compassion filled the older man's eyes and he tried to reach for her hand, but she took a step back in anger.

"No." She shook her head. "Don't give me that look. I know that look. I've given that look. WHERE IS HE!"

"Nancy, I'm sorry. It seems that the explosion occurred in his office-"

He was still speaking, but Nancy didn't seem to hear anything beyond "I'm sorry." The chief was wrong. Her father was stronger than something like this. He was safe and she knew it.

Before either man could stop her she was running as fast as she could toward the house yelling for her father.

"DAD, CAN YOU HEAR ME. DAD, WHERE ARE YOU? DADDY!"

The smoke was already getting thick as she raced across the neighbor's lawn, but she didn't slow down in the slightest. If she was having trouble, that just meant it was so much worse for her father. Her mind tried to reason with her that things weren't looking very good the closer she got, but she pushed the voice away. She was going to make it. She was going to sav-.

The air was knocked out of her as she was tackled to the ground, landing flat on her stomach. As she tried to regain her breath she turned under her captor and caught a glimpse of blue eyes shining with unshed tears. She didn't want to see that right now. She didn't want to see pity. She needed to get away from that, so she did the only thing she could thing of. She began kicking and screaming with all her might.

"Dammit!" Joe yelled when she got a well placed kick between the legs. He rolled off her, murmuring a few choice words, and she took that time to get back up and start moving again.

Nancy had only taken a few steps, before she was captured again. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her into the air. Her arms and legs were flailing, but her attempts were futile.

"Please, you have to let me go! You have to let me save him!"

The farther she got taken away from the house the louder her pleading got, but her captor had no intention of giving in to her wishes.

They were four houses down before he set her on the ground. She tried to move forward again, but the arms weren't letting go. She whirled around furiously and slammed her fist repeatedly into his chest.

"Nancy, there's nothing you can do." Frank grabbed her wrists as her fist flew toward his face and shook her hard, but it only seemed to infuriate her more.

"No, you're lying. Let me go. I can help him. I can save him."

"Nancy," he tried again, but she wasn't going to listen to what he was going to say.

"I hate you. You're letting him die. I HATE YOU!" she screamed with all her might.

Frank was taken aback by her words, but realized he had to put a stop to this now. He caught her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"He's gone, Nancy." The words floated in the air between the two and Frank saw the moment the words clicked in understanding. Her arms fell helplessly to her side and her knees buckled sending her sprawling to the ground.

The eldest Hardy dropped down next to her and barely had time to catch his balance before she flung herself at him. Arms tight around his neck, she grasped desperately at his shirt trying to pull him closer, and he complied by bringing her into his lap. Her body shook uncontrollably as she buried her tear-stained face in his chest and her anguished cries sliced through the neighborhood.

**X X X X X X X**

Nancy's eyes popped open as she sat up in her bed. She was soaked in sweat and breathing heavily. _It's been a while since I've had that nightmare._

Once she felt her heart returning to a normal beat, she leaned over and picked up her watch off the night stand. 5:51 AM. She groaned in disbelief. Even though she and Joe had returned by 1AM it had still taken another two and a half hours for her to fall asleep.

Groaning in frustration, she slipped out from under the covers and reached down to pull on her slippers. Knowing that she wasn't going to fall back asleep easily, Nancy figured she'd go grab a mug of tea and see if the paper had been delivered yet.

Creeping down the stairs, she turned to make her way into the kitchen and held back a gasp of surprise as she noticed she wasn't the only one up.

Laura looked up from her spot at the breakfast table and gave a slight smile to the younger girl. She got up and made her way to the stove where she had a kettle of water already warm. After pushing Nancy toward a chair, she poured a cup for the visitor and grabbed another tea bag before joining her back at the table.

Nancy smiled in thanks and took to preparing her tea. Laura watched her for a moment before speaking up.

"I'm surprised to see you up this early. Usually I'm the only one up with the sun, especially on a weekend. The rest of this house won't begin making noise until about 10. My body, on the other hand, doesn't seem to understand the concept of sleeping in. So, what are you doing up? Couldn't sleep?"

Nancy shook her head and mumbled something about still being on her exam schedule. The last thing Nancy wanted to do was burden someone else with all her problems, and she figured that by blowing off the question she could finish her tea in silence before escaping back to her room. Laura Hardy had other plans.

"So your insomnia has nothing to do with why you're in Bayport?"

Nancy continued to play with her tea bag.

"And I'm guessing it has nothing to do with the fight you had with my son or the long walk with my other son?"

At this Nancy looked up in surprise and saw the knowing look on the other woman's face. She thought about asking how Mrs. Hardy could know about everything with the brothers, but thought better of it. Laura Hardy may not be a practiced detective like the rest of her family, but that did not mean that she wasn't capable of their skills as investigators.

Slumping forward in defeat, she muttered, "Who told you?"

Laura chuckled slightly. "Nancy, you underestimate my boys if you think that they spill everything to their parents. It doesn't take a genius to know something was up with you and Frank, and judging by his behavior when we got home, and the ice pack on his face," Nancy slipped even lower in her chair. "I knew that you two must have duked it out."

"I didn't mean to hit him." She whispered.

"Yes, you did, don't be apologizing to me. I know my son and, while he is the level-headed one, when his temper rises he is a force to be reckoned with. I'm sure your 'discussion,'" Nancy felt her face burning in embarrassment, "got rather heated and he said something stupid. I believe he got that trait from his father."

Nancy couldn't believe that this conversation was happening. While the conversation was somewhat civil at the moment, she half expected Laura to suddenly turn on her and tell her to get out of the house before she caused anymore problems. However, she was not prepared for what came out next.

"So, did you at least tell Joe everything that has been happening at Wilder this past year?"

Nancy choked on her tea and slowly put down her mug. She glanced up at the older woman and was surprised to see her sitting there as calmly as if they were discussing the weather.

"What makes you think something has been happening?"

Laura waited until Nancy looked at her before she spoke. "What makes you think that we wouldn't know about all of this?"

"But, I never said-"

"You not saying anything is what tipped me off. Nancy, you seemed fine when you left here last summer. You were calling almost every other day just to talk and then all of a sudden you just stopped. I got a phone call on holidays and a vague letter every month after that. Fenton and I got worried, so he began asking around and it's a good thing he did. Why didn't you tell us? We could have been helping you sooner?"

"I-I didn't want to put you in danger." Nancy knew it was a weak argument and Laura had no problem putting Nancy in her place.

"Sweetie, do you know who my family is. Between my husband and the boys, I think we have more people after us than you could ever imagine. I'm living in a constant state of awareness, but you don't see me running away and hiding. It's part of the job. The most important thing in the world is my family and we would do anything to protect each other. And whether you like it or not, you are a part of this family."

Nancy was quiet as she mulled everything over. She should have known that the Hardys' would find out about everything, but something still didn't make sense.

"How come you never told the boys?"

"Because it wasn't our place. We knew that you would come to any one of us when you were ready, and we weren't going to rush you. That does not mean that Fenton and I weren't worried however. After the accident at Christmas, Fenton put protection on you. We've had someone watching you around the clock for the past few months. Not to mention the fact that we've been working with the police down at Wilder to help catch this psycho."

Nancy was in shock. This whole time someone else had known. The people she was trying to protect were protecting her.

Laura watched her for a minute, before she stood up and put her mug in the sink. She slowly walked over to Nancy and placed a soft kiss on the girl's head.

"It's a mother's job to look after her babies no matter how old or tough they think they are."

Nancy waited for the creaking of the stairs as Laura headed back upstairs, before she set her head on the table and began to cry.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I know, I'm a horrible person. It's been so long since I've updated and now I worry that I've lost so many readers. For those of you still out there I give my deepest apology. Just know that regardless of how crazy things get I have no intention of abandoning the story. **

**A couple of things before you return to reading this little ditty. (1) Thank you, thank you to everyone who has reviewed. It's your kind words that have inspired me to continue sharing my ideas. (2) This chapter is more fluffy than anything and while I know everyone is wanting to get on to the mystery, I felt that a little light heartedness was needed before the seriousness of the next few chapters. Plus, if you couldn't tell already, I like to lay out a scene with probably more detail than necessary, just because I love the characterization that can develop from it. (3) The next handful of chapters are done already and are just going through some last minute tweaking, so get excited, you won't have to wait long for an update!! So, as always, happy reading.**

* * *

It was almost noon when Nancy awoke for the second time that day. She was startled, however, to be not in the guest bedroom or at the kitchen table, where she had fallen back to sleep, but on the couch in Fenton Hardy's study. 

Shrugging the throw that was covering her toward the end of the couch, she swung her feet around until she was sitting upright. As she stretched her arms high over her head, she took in her surroundings.

_How did I get in here?_ Her question was soon answered.

Sitting on the edge of the side table was a folded piece of paper with her name scrawled across it. She opened the message and tried to decipher the chicken scratch which was Joe's handwriting.

_Nan. We figured we'd let you sleep as long as possible this morning because who knows how much you got before your encounter with the kitchen table. ) As soon as you're ready, come on over to Callie's. There will be a ton of food and you can just relax with some of our friends. –Joe_

As Nancy finished the note she shook her head at Joe's attempt so socialize her. She would love nothing more than to hide away all day, but at the same time she wanted to go out. It had been a long time since she had had fun, and it would be nice just to act like a normal college kid for a change. Besides, the Hardy brothers, or at least Joe, would provide some semblance of protection if need be.

_Yeah, I think I'll go. _

And with that attitude in mind, she headed upstairs to get ready.

**X X X X X X X**

"Chet! What's taking so long with those burgers?"

"Joe, I swear if you ask me that one more time I will withhold food from you for the rest of the day!"

Laughter rang out from the group sitting on the patio. While there were lots of people roaming around the yard, it seemed that the small clique from high school had still sectioned itself off from the rest of the group.

Joe and Chet, along with Frank, Biff, Phil, and Tony, were sitting around the grill. The group was in charge of cooking the meat as Callie and Vanessa made the rounds with Tony's fiancé, Emmalie. The men, not wanting to interfere with the gaggle of girls, were more than happy to have a job away from the mess. With drinks in hand, the group waited until Chet had sat back down after flipping the burgers before they continued with the topic of Tony's recent engagement.

"Tony, I can't believe you would do this to us? Do you realize that thanks to you, Caitlin is now going to be expecting a ring?" Phil screeched.

"No kidding man. Vanessa hints about marriage all the time. This is just going to push her over the edge!" Joe chimed in.

"Oh, stop being dramatic. I didn't do this for any of you guys, I did this for me. We've been together for two years now and I realized I want it to be permanent. I love her and I can't imagine not having her by my side."

"Aww, ain't that sweet." Joe barked.

"Yeah, I think I just got a cavity." Frank piped up.

"Oh, shut up." Tony grabbed a few pieces of ice from the cooler near his feet and proceeded to pelt it at the brothers.

"Well, I personally think this is great news and I couldn't be happier for you." Biff finally contributed to the conversation.

"Suck up." Joe whispered.

"What makes you say that, Hardy?" Biff asked innocently.

Chet was quick to reply. "Because we all know that you're just trying to get on Tony's good side so that you get asked to be the best man."

"Which isn't even a possibility with me as his friend," exclaimed Phil.

"Hey!"

As the table continued their argument about who was the better choice, Frank took a minute to let his eyes roam over the backyard. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and he had to admit that Callie had really outdone herself. Seeing her standing over near the pool, he watched her for a moment as she laughed at something one of the other girls said.

_She looks beautiful_.

She was in a light yellow sundress that while falling at little longer than he would like over her legs, made up for that by coming just low enough on top to tease him with the orange fabric of her bikini. She had straightened her hair, giving just enough curl on the bottom of each layer to frame her face and he watched with amusement as she bounced happily in time with the music. A soft smile spread across his face and she seemed to sense his eyes on her, because she turned suddenly and sent a shy smile his way. Seeing that put his mind at ease for a moment.

He had been worried this morning about facing her after his behavior last night. When he had dropped her off last night she had tried to talk to him about the fight she had witnessed, but he had lashed out at her and told her to mind her own business. He had seen the hurt in her eyes but didn't have it in him at the time to try and fix it, so he had bid her goodnight and drove off the minute she was out of the car. This morning, however, she had greeted him with a smile and told him that she was here when he needed her.

He was lucky that she seemed to understand that he just needed space for the time being, and he vowed in that moment that he would make it up to her.

"Hello, would you look at that."

Frank was startled out of his musings by Biff's voice and turned back to the table to see all the boys' attention near the back door of the house. He followed their line of sight and felt his mouth go dry as he took in the vision before him.

While Callie had pulled off cute and playful, Nancy went for dangerous and wild. Now free of the ponytail that had restrained it yesterday, the long strawberry blond hair was a mess of untamed curls that seemed desperately trying to reach the soft material that started at the owner's breasts…and Frank could see why. The deep red of her sundress was stretched across her bodice, acting as a second skin, before flaring out over her shapely thighs. The fabric was fluttering lightly in the breeze and Frank was well aware that every male imagination in the vicinity was being taunted about the color, and more importantly, the cut, of the swimsuit that was being kept from view.

Nancy appeared frozen in place within the doorway as she pushed her sunglasses atop her head. Frank could see the slight panic in her eyes as she tried to find a familiar face in the mass of people and he would have done anything in that moment to put her at ease, but of course, his brother came to her rescue. Again.

"Nan," Joe called out, and Frank could see the relief that spread across her face before she put on a dazzling smile. She started to make her way over to the table and Joe jumped up to meet her halfway.

Frank felt his blood run cold as Joe leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, before whispering something in her ear. The blush that rushed over her cheeks was obvious and she gave Joe a playful smack across the chest as he led her over to the men around the grill.

When they reached the table Joe could feel the glares he was receiving from his brother, but promptly ignored them as he introduced Nancy to each of the men.

She made the appropriate pleasantries to each male as Joe introduced them, and Frank was hurt when she barely spared him a look as her eyes swept from Chet on his right to Biff, who was grinning at her in interest, on his left.

Joe was just wrapping up his energized intros when Vanessa materialized out of nowhere and began dragging Nancy off to meet more people, but not before giving Frank enough time to see the panicked look reappear.

Silence fell over the table as Joe retook his seat. Finally, Biff let out a low whistle. "So that's Nancy Drew, huh? Now I see why you guys were always off on cases. Do all female detectives look as good as her?"

"Dude, she's practically my sister!" Joe laughed. Frank was quick to nod in agreement when all eyes turned to him, and was pleased to see that everyone, except Joe, seemed to believe him.

"Well, she is definitely not my sister," Biff exclaimed with a wolfish grin.

"Yeah," piped up Chet. "Why have you been hiding her?"

Laughter erupted around the table as Joe began regaling the group with some of the more colorful cases that the trio had shared. Frank, however, was having a hard time showing his interest. His eyes followed her movements around the yard and he watched as she finally settled down on the lawn chairs with Vanessa, Callie, and Emmalie.

Listening to the sweet echo of her laugh, he turned his attention back to the boys as he took a long swig of his beer.

_Damn, today is going to be a long day_.


	9. Chapter 9

**First off, I want to thank the wonderful Aitia for all her help recently. There wouldn't be an update if it wasn't for her.**

**I know, I know, it's been a ridiculously long time since I've updated...real life causes way to many problems. I do hope that there are still readers out there and I'll try my best to be faster with the story from now on. Happy reading!!**

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"So then she said 'If you plan on making this a common occurrence around here, then we need to talk about getting a stronger bed, because things aren't looking good at the rate we're going." 

Laughter erupted from the crowd at the completion of the tale.

Dusk was beginning to fall and yet Callie's get together had only grown in number as the day went on. Curiously enough however, it was not the hostess, but the pretty stranger who had unknowingly become the center of attention.

Nancy for the most part had spent the afternoon as an attachment to Vanessa. She was dragged from activity to activity, meeting more people than she could possibly keep straight, and yet she did it all with a genuine smile. Vanessa reminded her a little of Bess and George, and though it brought a sharp pain to her chest thinking of her friends, it still was nice to have something familiar afoot.

As time went on more people had come to join the girls by the pool side and Nancy soon had everyone in fits of laughter with stories told around the journalism department. Her ability to win over anyone was evident by the looks of admiration she was receiving from the females and lust from the males.

Frank scoffed at the open gawking as he picked up the rest of the barbeque tools before returning to the kitchen. Callie had sensed the drop of tempo in the party and had seen it as the perfect time to clean up some of the mess. Quietly asking her boyfriend if he could help her for a few minutes, the two had disappeared unnoticed to the house.

As he walked back into the kitchen he dropped the utensils into the sink with a little more force than necessary before grabbing the sponge and plunging his hands into the soapy water. Callie looked up from her spot near the island where she was wrapping up the leftovers to put in the fridge and watched her boyfriend curiously.

"It sounds like everyone is having a good time." She knew she needed to tread carefully with her questioning and yet she couldn't squash the inkling of uneasiness that began to flood her as she noticed Frank tense up before he replied.

"Yeah, you did a good job."

"It was great to see everyone too."

"I agree."

"I mean, we haven't seen or heard from some of the gang since last summer, so it's been real nice getting to catch up with them, don't you think?"

He didn't even offer a response that time, though, she knew that he understood her line of thinking because his scrubbing had become more furious. Knowing that it was pointless to try and get him to talk to her about his problems, she went back to her cleaning in silence.

It was only after Callie had sighed for the third time in five minutes that Frank finally snapped.

"Just spit it out already!"

"Don't you yell at me!"

He dropped the sponge on the counter and turned around to face her, the island their only source of intermediary. "Well, obviously you have something that you want to say, so just say it."

She looked at him in shock for a minute, trying to calm her hurt at his abruptness. "What the hell is wrong with you? You have been acting like an animal the past 24 hours, lashing out at everyone in sight. I'm trying to be understanding and supportive of whatever you're going through, but you are making it impossible. I love you and want to help you, but you've got to let me in."

He heaved a large sigh before speaking carefully. "Callie, there is nothing to worry about. Things are just a little stressful at the moment. Nothing I can't handle."

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong? I know I told you this morning that I would let you come to me, but I have to wonder if maybe I do need to be pushing this a little bit more." She hated that she was pleading.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"Your mood was brought on by the arrival of Nancy, a girl by the way that you have a very elaborate and secretive past with. What am I suppose to think?"

"That's uncalled for Callie and you know it. I have never had a relationship with Nancy nor have I ever led you to believe otherwise. Hell, I haven't talked to her in almost a year."

"And yet that seems to be the problem. I'm not stupid, Frank! I heard your fight last night. Whatever is bothering you obviously has to do with her and lying to my face doesn't make things any better."

"Callie, you're overreacting."

Her eyes grew wide in anger and she resisted the urge to pull a repeat of last night's performance of slapping him. "Excuse me, I have guests to get back to." She spun on her heel and walked out of the kitchen.

_Shit._ He took off after her.

**X X X X X X X**

"I think I'm going to head out of here. It's getting pretty late."

"Aww, come on Nancy. The night is still young." Biff led the groans of protest.

She smiled at the antics of the people around her as she said goodbyes. While she had had a wonderful day, it still had been exhausting to keep up the pretense that everything was fine in her life.

"I'll see you back at the house." She caught Joe's eye.

"We're right behind you, cause I don't think this one is going to last much longer," he replied nodding his head at Vanessa, who was half asleep in his lap.

"Huh?" Vanessa sleepily answered at the sound of her name.

"Nothing babe. Go back to sleep."

The group chuckled as she wearily dropped her head back on Joe's shoulder.

"Here, let me get that for you," Biff stated as he watched Nancy gathering her pool bag.

"It's alright. I have it."

"No, I insist," he answered, swiftly swinging the bag onto his shoulder. Nancy glanced over at Joe and rolled her eyes at his amused look. If there was one thing Nancy Drew wasn't, it was helpless, and, more often than not, she found the displays of male dominance annoying.

The two waved goodbye to the crowd and began to walk across the yard.

"So did you have fun today?" Biff asked.

"Yeah, I really did. Things have been stressful as of late, so it was nice to unwind."

"I hear you on that." The two were approaching the edge of the patio when Biff suddenly stopped and grabbed her arm. As she turned to face him she noticed that he was glancing around nervously.

"Listen, Nancy, I had a really good time today and I think in the big scheme of things it was because of you. You are definitely something else. And well, I don't know how long you are going to be in town, and all, but I was wondering if maybe you would like to get together and do something…just the two of us."

In the rush of his speech it took a moment for his words to sink in. "Oh!" She finally breathed out in surprise. She looked at the nervous, but hopeful gaze he was giving her and she tried to come up with an adequate response.

"Umm—"

"Hey, are you guys leaving?" A female voice interrupted.

The pair turned to find a red faced Callie coming out of the house, Frank hot on her tail. Nancy threw a concerned look at Callie, missing the angry glare Frank shot at Biff. Biff, for his part, had the decency to turn pink in embarrassment as he stepped back, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I was just walking Nancy out." Biff stammered as he avoided his friend's gaze.

"Nancy, are you heading back to the house?" Frank asked tersely.

Her head snapped up in anger at what his words implied. Trying to remain as calm as possible she took a deep breath before answering. "Don't worry, _dad,_ I'll be home by curfew."

He opened his mouth, ready to let loose, but she was quicker.

"Callie, thank you for today. I had a good time. I'm sure we will run into each other again sometime soon." And before anyone had time to reply she began to stride toward the side gate.

The remaining three shifted awkwardly for a few moments before Biff remembered the bag on his shoulder and bolted off after her. Callie didn't even spare a look at her boyfriend as she brushed past him and went to join the others by the pool.

Frank was disgusted with himself. Here he was wanting to make amends with both of the females in his life and again, he had let his emotions get the best of him, thus pissing both of them off even more, if it was possible.

Realizing he needed to at least start apologizing to his girlfriend, he began making the walk of shame, when Biff suddenly ran back into the yard.

"Frank, I think you need to come see this." Biff blurted out, the panic evident on his face.

Frank felt his heart speed up as he went to follow Biff. "What?! What's wrong?!" But the words had barely left his mouth before the sound of gunshots filled the night.


End file.
